Dancing On Blades
by Glue Stick Gary
Summary: Elita One discovers she has a secret past, kept hidden from her for vorns. Determined to uncover her origins, she seeks out the only lead that may unlock her history...Megatron, War Lord of the Decepticons. Elita One x Megatron.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Today dear readers, is a special day. On Feb. 17th I am now 21 years old! I'm glad to say this new story of mine is something I am really excited for you all to read!**

This story was inspired by the fanfiction called Cage by IlikeSTRANGEpairings and Megatron/Elita One fanart over at Deviantart by Lecidre. Her pictures capture so much emotion and sexiness that when you combine those two together, this is what I came up with.

I'm writing this in between playing tug-a-war with my hyperactive dog and listening to **Caravan Palace**.

This story is AU-ish, pre-earth and not entirely G1 faithful, but will still have G1 references. Just some tweaks from my brain to make this story work. This story explores an altered version of Elita One, Optimus Prime and Megatron's past.

P.s. Can you spot the pop culture reference? I'll be plugging them in frequently, because, heck, I love my internets.

**Please review! I really want to hear what you all think. **

* * *

><p><strong>Dancing On Blades<strong>

**Prologue**

Elita One stood in front of the full sized mirror that she kept at the foot of her recharge berth, mounted on the wall. Elita wouldn't call herself a narcissist in any way, she didn't spend more than necessary in front of her reflection. But when she found herself feeling utterly lost and helpless with herself, she stood in front of her full length mirror and tried to find the link to her past in the sad reflection of a pink femme staring right back.

She touched her lips with two, elegant long digits.

Alpha Trion had told her that day she wasn't sparked by Vector Sigma.

Her digits left her mouth and traveled up to the ridge of her helm. She traced it across her forehead slowly.

If she wasn't sparked by Vector Sigma...then this opened a whole new door for the probable possibilities over her origins. Sparks were either created by spark merging, where the dominant partner would imprint his/and or her code into the carriers receiving chamber, where together the force of the energy would create a budding spark...a new sparking. Or simply an adult shell was created by designers and engineers and taken to Vector Sigma to be sparked with adult personalities and life.

Her hand dropped to her side, and she moaned deeply. She abruptly plopped down onto her berth and brought her head into her hands.

Alpha Trion's words echoed ruthlessly through her processor, ringing crystalline clear and sharp, opening up the wounds that she had numbed just enough to cope with.

"_I found you in an energon storage facility. You...you were damaged beyond recognition. Your spark was barely a shimmer. I had to rebuild you completely."_

"_I'm sorry Elita. I'm sorry I kept this from you."_

Rebuilt completely? That meant she had a different body before hand...a different life...

Questions arose and swirled around her, too many to pinpoint to individually, but they became one large mass that had her processor aching with the stimuli. Who was she before? What was her name? Who were her creators? What happened to her? Why was she working in an energon storage facility? Did Alpha Trion really didn't know who her attacker was nor was he keeping that from her _too_.

It was all too much to cope with. Elita One stretched over her berth and turned over on her side. She brightened her optics, looking onto the wall and all the writing she and her friends had carved into the metal throughout the vorns. Fading scratches that criss-crossed in several places was the marksmanship of Chromia, who had no artistic abilities what so ever, made her at least smile faintly at the memory. She knew all the writings and doodles by spark now, tracing the ridges with a digit. A midsized symbol struck out at her, this one was not as old as the others.

She recognized Firestar's detailed outlines, soft shading through scratching, and reveals it to be the Autobot symbol. She frowned.

War was on the horizon of Cybertron. Everyone could sense it in the air, the tense atmosphere of the streets and the jumpy attitudes of the citizens. Rumours of uprisings in Kaon spread like cosmic rust through the Academy, but Elita One wasn't the type for rumours. They were exactly that they were, fabricated, not to be too focused and worked up on. Rumours were rumours...they were supposed to stay that way.

Elita's optcs shifted to her favourite part of her graffiti wall, a phrase in which Chromia had scribbled to be a joke on Elita.

'_Elita One is too uptight! Relax! Get overcharged!'_

Elita One narrowed her brow ridges in concentration. She could only recall getting overcharged twice in her existence, both times with Chromia and Firestar of course. But with today's life altering information from Alpha Trion...who knows? She had an existence before the one she knew now, distant and foreign, and the key...how could she really unlock her past?

She always had unexplainable whispers of knowledge or insights that she had associated to spark memory from Vector Sigma...but when she talked to either one of her friends about it they simply shrugged.

For example, the only vivid memory she had claimed to have is an image of a mech. She rolled onto her back and placed a hand under her head.

A large silver, red and black mech...menacing would be the perfect adjective for his appearance. His sharp optics were scarlet, fiery, dancing with scorn. She couldn't remember any defined details of his alt mode in his robot mode, but he radiated power and dominance like heat.

She couldn't place anything she knew now with the image, and it was the only thing she could hold on to connect her to her past. She didn't know how significant this mech was in her past life...but he was the possible key.

She wasn't feeling too thrilled about it.

With a sigh through her vents she began to shut down for the night. She promised Chromia she'd meet her bright and early for energon before classes. They both had the bad habit of sacrificing energon for extra breems of recharge before dashing off to class, with just klicks to spare before they were deemed late.

Plus...it would help to talk to someone about her discovery from Alpha Trion.

Her optics darkened and she entered recharge mode, her last lingering thoughts bringing the image of the mysterious mech into mind.

* * *

><p>Two brightly coloured femmes hugged deeply outside '<em>Mudkip's Swilling Hole' <em>located just out of the outskirts of the Academy grounds, a popular energon refuelling joint amongst the majority of students. Chromia ushered Elita inside and took their usual table at the back, out of range from the front where they were comfortable with their privacy.

Their orders were swiftly taken by a brightly coloured white and orange femme, who whisked away to the bar.

Chromia was the first to speak (obviously).

"Elita! I haven't seen you since break! How have you been?"

Elita shrugged and smiled, bringing her hands up to clasp and rested her chin down upon them.

"Relaxed...mostly. It felt rather odd to be home again with just Alpha Trion and myself again. It's just so...quiet. Not quite used to that, I'm afraid."

Chromia snickered into her hand. "You've been hanging around us too much Elita. How is that old bot anyways? Is he doing well?"

The femme was back with their orders by then, and Elita thanked her kindly. She took a long generous sip of the shimmering pink energon.

"He's doing wonderful, actually. He's working on this new sort of project, he won't tell me exactly what it is."

"Top secret?"

"Top secret."

"Other than that everything was pretty much the same..." She glanced away from Chromia's optics, looking at herself reflected in the energon.

Elita wasn't one to be proud to lie, and she definitely only did it when she had to. But Chromia knew Elita too well, and the blue femme sniffed it out instantly. She narrowed her optics, and paused before she drank, energon cube hovering inched before her mouth.

"I know you just didn't try to lie to me, 'Lita. What happened?"

Elita glanced away, and looked off into the distance for a moment. Chromia set down her energon, and leaned across the table. She placed her hand over her friends and Elita's head snapped back, optics bright. Chromia held her gaze, strong and understanding, as if the weights of her stare simply said '_You can trust me, I'm your friend.'_

Elita sighed sadly and set down her energon.

"Remember when I told you before we left Alpha Trion said he had something important to talk to me about?"

Chromia's face smoothed out, nodding as she recalled. "Oh yeah, I remember you saying something like that."

"Well, we had that talk."

Chromia nodded, but didn't speak. "I didn't think any of it at the time, just thought he wanted to lecture me again about the importance of keeping my studies up and trying my best to pass mathematic or something similar to that."

"Did he ask you to think about joining the Autobots?"

Elita One shifted, caught off guard by the question but swiftly shook her head negative.

"He didn't...mention anything about _that_."

"Really? That's strange. Did you hear about what happened in Crystal City? Tragic 'aint it? If I've ever catch those sons of glitches responsible I'd-"

Elita reached over and waved a hand in front of her face. "_My_ story remember?"

Chromia chuckled sheepishly. "Oops...sorry 'Lita. I just get worked up every time I think about it. Sorry, go on."

"AS I was saying, when I got home from the Academy I thought the first day back I was going to get The Talk. But he acted all normal, and didn't even bring it up. So I thought he forgot about it too, until the last day when I was supposed to leave to go back."

"He called me into his study. He _never_ calls me into his study. Only if it's important."

Elita sighed deeply, and took a long sip of energon before she carried on. "He sat me down across from his desk, and...just _stared_ at me for like half a breem. It was creepy. When he was finished, he asked _'Elita, you know I care about you a great deal, don't you?' _I was confused...so I asked him what he was talking about. He just kept on talking about how much he cared about me, and always worried about me when I'm at the academy. All that mushy creator stuff that is kind of uncomfortable, actually."

"Ugh, I hate all that mushy slag. No thanks, none for Chromia. I don't know how Firestar likes it. Go on."

"So I was speechless though the whole thing. Then here comes the punch line..."

Elita shuttered her optics. "He said I wasn't sparked by Vector Sigma."

Silence.

She waited exactly three klicks. Three, two, one...

Chromia shot up in her chair, back as straight as an I-beam. "WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WERN'T SPARKED-"

Elita clapped a hand over her mouth before she could alert the whole shop of her newest secret. "Shh! Shut your vocalizer!"

Chomia nodded and deflated, and Elita removed her hand.

"I wasn't sparked by Vector Sigma, that's what he told me."

"How? How is that even possible? I thought Alpha Trion was your creator."

"That's what I thought too. He said he had found me almost on the brick of deactivation in an energon storage facility. He said he sensed something in me though...it was my spark. He said it wasn't extinguished, but _barely shimmering_. Those were his exact words."

Chromia's mouth hung agape, controlled horror creeping onto her features.

"He said he had to rebuild me entirely. From scratch, exoskeleton, plating, circuitry...everything! You know what that means? I had a _life_ before this one, Chromia. I wasn't always Elita One. I need to find out who I was...I had a history...creators...an entirely different life and I can't even remember!"

Elita One shoulders slumped and she rubbed her optics with the palm of her hand. "All this time, he knew, and he didn't even tell me up until _yesterday. _How am I supposed to cope with this, Chromia? Finals are going to be coming up, practically around the corner. I can't focus on my studies if all I'm concentrating all my time on who I was before!"

Chromia reached out and drew her hands away from Elita's face, and clasped her hands around her dear friends.

"Listen...LISTEN to me Elita. This is big, I understand that. But you can't get yourself get obsessed with this, not now. We'll talk about it, OK? You, me and Firestar. Today, after classes. At Firestar's, alright?"

Elita nodded, and smile gratefully.

"Thank you Chromia...I can always depend on you in my time of need."

"Hey, think nothing of it. That's what friends so, by the way. Let's finish our energon and scram before we're late again, shall we?"

The two femmes grinned, and did just that. They left the credits that covered their bill plus tip, and exited the shop. Chromia and Elita jumped forwards, transforming mid flight, and landed on four wheels, racing down the street, bumper to bumper.

* * *

><p>Firestar looked around her classroom, trying to spot any sign of either Chromia or Elita. They would be wise to not show up late this time, <em>again<em>, or the Professor would be on their afts again. Really, was onlineing on time really that hard? Her creators were always up early, thus, _she_ was up early as a result. But was it really a hassle to set an alarm?

Mechs and femmes piled into their associated seats, she said a couple good mornings to a couple bots as they passed. She turned, craning her neck to see if Chromia and Elita would appear at the perfect moment in the doorway.

Nope. No such luck.

"Is this seat taken?"

Firestar whirled around, and met with the sight of a new face. She was a femme, armour light and well polished. Her plating was a colour combination of a teal with white highlights, something she was quite used to with Elita and Chromia. Her helm was a simple design, nothing overbearing or detailed, and by the looks of her robot mode, Firestar reckoned she had a ground based vehicle mode. Her optics were a bright, friendly blue, (like her own) and her face carried a playful innocence that was hard to come by. She had an easygoing, youthful quality about her that Firestar instantly liked, and a smile that was cute as a button. That sold the deal, apparently for Firestar.

"Nope! You can sit here if you want."

The femme sighed dramatically, and her smile widened three times its size. She pulled out the chair and took her seat.

"Thanks so much. I'm Moonracer, by the way."

"Firestar. Pleased to meet you."

Firestar inwardly thanked her creators for drilling the importance of being polite into her processor, while at the same time looked over Moonracer's shoulder. She had pulled a datapad out of subspace and was studying it with a frown.

"Is that your schedule?"

"Yeah, I'm just double checking just in case I'm in the wrong room again."

Firestar chuckled. "Again?"

"Yeah, accidently sat through a whole lecture on Cybertranian history. When it was just about over I realized I was in the wrong room."

"I take it you're not from Iacon then?"

"Nope, Tarn actually. But I don't think you have to be from Iacon to get lost in here. The school is just so slagging big!"

"Point taken. May I see?" She gestured to the datapad politely. Unbeknownst to the two new found friends, the Professor had just stalked into the room, making a bee line to the front where his beloved desk sat. All the chatter died down to whispers, and Firestar continued to study Moonracer's list of classes and their locations. Oh, look at that, they had the same transformations class together.

She looked up to comment, but noticed her teacher glaring right at her. Oh right, class just about started a klick ago. She set down the datapad and slid it over to its owner, who quickly subspaced it with haste.

"Who are you?"

Moonracer squeaked upon discovering that she was the one to be spoken directly to. She sat up straight in her chair.

"Uhhh...I-I'm Moonracer. I just moved here from Tarn..."

"Does it look like I'm interested in your back story? Moonracer, eh? Soft designation, doesn't really inspire awe and shock now does it?" Several of the femmes and mechs snickered not quite discreetly, and Firestar felt sorry for the newbie. Rule number one in Pinpoint's educational domain, is to never stand out (good or bad), or face his scrutiny. Transfer students were always stepped on.

Moonracer opened her mouth, shut it, opened it again and frowned. She peeked a glance at Firestar, who only shrugged.

"I-I have my transcripts if you wish to see them?"

"Not at all, I just need to see your schedule."

The datapad materialized in her hands, and she tapped a couple commands into the screen and stood. She carried it over to Pinpoint, but Sunstreaker, sitting in the row of desks closest to the isle, stuck out his foot. Firestar sat up horrified, and watched as Moonracer briskly walked into the trap. Her foot caught and the next thing she knew Moonracer toppled over on her front, datapad flown straight over her head.

The classroom erupted into laughter, and Firestar stood. Since she was a sparkling, she was taught to be kind to everyone, no matter who or what. Her creators were great mechs, who dedicated their lives to help the less fortunate, and their teachings were practically second nature to her now. Firestar dashed to Moonracer, helping the poor dear up as everyone continued to laugh or point. Pinpoint was known to be slightly sadistic, but not sparkles, and was ordering everyone to calm down and just 'shut the slag up already!'. Firestar helped the smaller femme to her feet, brushing off the dirt from her shoulder struts. While Moonracer straightened herself out, Firestar bent to retrieve her datapad while taking in satisfaction that now Pinpoint was riling it into Sunstreaker.

"Thank you," Moonracer said quietly as she accepted her datapad. She didn't meet her optics, clearly embarrassed.

Moonracer handed Pinpoint the datapad, the large truck former thanked her and advised them to take their seats.

"I'm terribly sorry for that Moonracer, I'll make sure Sunstreaker gets properly punished for his behaviour."

"Hey!"

"Shut it, Sunstreaker! I don't want to hear not a peep from you for the rest of the class!"

"But class barely even started. Why can't-"

"I said shut it! Do I make myself clear?"

Sunstreaker growled, and crossed his arms over his chest and slumped in his chair. He glared off into space. Sideswipe, who was seated beside the moody yellow delinquent laughed.

"Not even three breems into class and you're already on the chopping block, Sunshine!"

Pinpoint whipped around to Sideswipe, and he revved his engine in a monstrous growl. "The same goes for you too, Sideswipe!"

"But-!"

"I don't want to hear it! And why are you sitting beside your brother again? Don't I have an assigned seat especially for _you_?"

"But I hate that-"

"Zip it and move it!"

In the ominous silence, Sideswipe stood, purposely doing it slowly, making the chair behind him screen against the metal floor. All the students winced and some even placed hands over their audios in pain. Sunstreaker snickered at his brother despite being nailed by the Professor moments before. Sideswipe sneered at him, and slapped him upside the head.

Moonracer thought that the big yellow one was going to _murder_ the red one by the look he gave his brother. But Sideswipe swiftly jumped out of the way before Sunstreaker could get his hands around his neck and trotted over to his Special Desk.

Said desk was situated directly beside the teacher's desk, at the very front of the lecture hall.

Moonracer couldn't help it. She giggled.

Now that Sideswipe was safely sitting in his Special Desk at the front of the class, looking bored now, (serves him right, Moonracer thought) did the class start in full swing. Pinpoint, as Moonracer was beginning to know, was as harmless as a turbo flea. He was all talk and no brawn, as Firestar explained over a short comm. He was large mech, rightfully so, with heavy armour and a scary looking shoulder cannon that had Moonracer feeling edgy from just looking at. His colours were light brown and orange, a black midsection, black hands and pedes. His helm had two funny looking little nubbins sticking out, parallel to his audios. His optics were her favourite feature though. They were _orange. _

He taught Trigonometry, not one of her favourite subjects, but important none the less.

Firestar was just about finished taking down the last batch of notes onto her datapad before she heard rapid footsteps approaching the door. She looked up, puzzled, but instantly remembered Elita One and Chromia. Firestar groaned just when Chromia slowed to a stop and peeked through the tiny window in the door. Her optics looked at the teacher, who was oblivious and was writing down notes onto the projector with a stylus, which would project the notes onto the screen at the front.

Then she met Chromia's gaze, and the blue femme motioned for her to open the door.

Firestar glared. _No, I'm not getting into trouble for you,_ that glare said.

Chromia glared back. _You better open the door or else,_ her glared replied.

Elita One pushed Chromia out of the way and pushed her face to the window, blue optics pleading.

_Please?_ Her optics begged.

Firestar sighed, but nodded. She tried her hardest to push her chair as quietly as she could as she stood, and crept over to the door. She thanked Primus that her desk wasn't that far from the door, and sooner than later she was at the door. By now a couple of students were watching quietly, while the others, like Pinpoint, were quite oblivious as Firestar reached for the access panel.

"And what do you think you are doing, Firestar?"

The red femme froze, stricken with fright at being caught. Both Chromia and Elita were watching from the window, but jumped out of the way when they heard their Professor's booming voice.

"Ummm..."

"I hope you are not actually thinking to allow both Chromia and Elita One into my class room, _both late_."

"Ahhh, I wasn't really..."

Pinpoint turned around, and crossed his hands across his chest. He jerked his chin in the direction of her desk.

"Sit."

Firestar fled to her seat, sitting down beside Moonracer.

"Come in, girls."

The door opened automatically, only to reveal the doorway empty. Then from the side Chromia poked her head in, and said something over her shoulder. Chromia and Elita One both entered, Chromia looking indifferent and oblivious to their tardiness while Elita One was actually pinching the bridge of her nose in embarrassment with one hand.

"You two are late. Again."

Chromia opened her mouth, but Pinpoint was quick.

"I don't want to hear your version Chromia. Elita, explain."

Chromia's mouth closed with a _snap_, denta clenched, and Firestar grinned inwardly.

"I'm sorry, Sir. We had energon before class...and we sort of lost track of time. I'm sorry, truly I am. It won't happen again."

Elita _did_ sound genuinely sorry, she was great like that. Firestar liked that about her, she acted like herself no matter the company, almost like wearing her spark externally for all to see. It was admirable.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again, am I clear Elita?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, now take a seat. Chromia, you've just received detention duty for today."

Firestar winced. Ouch.

"**Detention? **I didn't even do anything! Elita just said we won't be late again!"

"No, Elita One said that, not you. You were just smirking throughout the whole ordeal. This is your fourth time being late this deca-orn Chromia. Detention, after classed. Room 3402 Gamma. Now take a seat."

Chromia's shaking hands balled into fists, but she said nothing else. She stomped over to Firestar's desk, but paused, noticing now that her normal spot was being taking up by a new femme.

"That seat is taken. Sit over there, by Beachcomber." Pinpoint sounded way too cheery.

Chromia growled down at Moonracer, who shrinked into her seat, optics wide with fright. But Chromia just whipped around and stomped over and fell into her new seat, arms crossed. Elita took her seat in front of Firestar, and materialized her own data pad.

This was going to be a long orn.

* * *

><p>After trig was class transfers, where students had a little leeway time to get to their classes on time. To Chromia, it was time to regroup and vent.<p>

"Detention! Do I look like a sparkling? I swear to Primus he just wants to see me slagged off."

"Chromia...did you really think that smirking and looking smug in front of _everyone_ when you were caught was a good idea? I mean, Elita at least sounded like she was sorry."

"That's because I was."

"That's beside the point! And did you see that new femme? What's she doing at my desk anyway?"

Firestar smiled sheepishly. "I can be responsible for that. She asked me if the seat was taken and I said no. It's not a big deal, Chromia. Just get it back the next time we have trig."

Chromia didn't reply, only grumbled and glared straight ahead. Firestar turned to Elita.

"Why were you two late anyways?"

Elita frowned, and Chromia uncrossed her arms to shoot Elita a worried look.

"I...I had something important to tell Chromia, and you too, eventually."

Firestar picked up the brooding tone, which she didn't like one bit, and took Elita by the arm and slowed to a stop.

"Are you OK?"

Elita nodded, but shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, but I need to tell you and Chromia after...can we go to your place?"

"Mine?" Firestar sounded startled, but it didn't sound like the idea was totally appalling. After some thought she nodded, her residence had somehow become the unofficial HQ of their friendship, Chromia and Elita practically lived there.

"Sure, I'll tell my creators ahead of time."

Elita smiled, thankful that she had such good friends. She quickly hugged Firestar and they were walking again, through the traffic of bodies rushing to their next classes.

Elita fell back into her worries, a habit that Chromia had once not too nicely advised to her quit, and her thoughts veered towards the mysterious mech she thought before recharge last night.

He was definitely someone who she could be positive on that she hasn't met as Elita One. Elita had a feeling that a mech like that would leave an impression that would last a long time. Handsome...powerful...who was he exactly? What kind of mech would he be? An inspiring leader, fighter for all things good or bad?

Elita One shook her head and dismissed the thought...for now.

Her next class was transformations, one of her favourites, and she would try to clear the rain clouds from her mind.

The rest of the orn ran surprisingly smoothly despites what happened in the morning. Morning energon does actually make a difference, Elita discovered, she had far more energy by the time the day was completed.

Classes were interesting but uneventful (which Chromia complained about) and Elita was in a pleasant mood. With her assignments neatly organized in her day planner on her datapad, she walked through the halls of the Iacon Academy with a spring in her step.

As she rounded a corner, chaos seemed to swoop in and make itself heard.

"**ATTENTION: EVERYONE TO THE AUDITORIM ON LEVEL ALPHA FOR AN EMERGENCY BROADCAST FROM THE SENATE IMMEDIATELY. REAPEAT, EVERYONE TO AUDITORIM ALPHA FOR AN EMERGENCY BROADCAST FROM THE SENENATE. THANK YOU!"**

Elita stopped in her tracks, confusion sweeping through her chassis. Everyone around her seemed to stumble to a stop, some asking their comrades what on Cybertron was going on.

::_Elita?::_ A comm. from Chromia brought her back to life.

::_ Chromia? What's going on?_::

::_I don't know...this is not good...an emergency message from the Senate? This isn't good at all_...::

::_Head to the auditorium...I'll be there in a breem.:: _She shut the comm. and turned around in her tracks, swiftly navigating through the mass of students heading in the same direction. Chromia was right, this isn't good. Elita had a sinking sensation in her tanks, something like a 'gut' feeling that Chromia used often (how she came up with that Elita had no clue, what was a gut anyway?) This was bad...and by the looks of everyone's apprehensive and frightened looks, it was universal knowledge.

"Hey Elita!"

Elita turned round to meet a green chest, and looked up and up to meet a friendly pair of blue optics looking down at her.

"Bulkhead?" It wasn't like they talk much, he was a spacebridge technician major, she...undecided.

"Hello! Long time to talk, ha?"

She raised an optic ridge. Bulkhead smiled goofily, rubbing the back of his head with a large hand.

"Hah, yeah, I know we don't talk much. Just thought it would be a nice time to."

"In the middle of a mandatory emergency message from The Senate?"

Bulkhead looked even more embarrassed, but smiled none the less. "Well, it's not like we share the same classes."

"Hey! Bulky one! You're blocking the entire hallway here. Some normal sized bots are trying head to the auditorium if you don't mind?"

Shocked, Elita One whipped around to the owner of the voice, Cliffjumper, what a surprise. Elita opened her mouth to resort with equal amounts of rudeness (probably to comment that to some, a minibot stature wouldn't be considered normal sized), but Bulkhead placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh...uh...sorry about that Cliffjumper."

He stepped aside, making room for Cliffjumper and group of minibots to walk on by, none to nicely making comments on his size. Elita One glared, spark flaring in raw anger.

She turned to Bulkhead, who simply shrugged.

"Used to it."

"You're used to bots making fun of your stature? You're _used_ to _that_?"

Bulkhead hung his head, twisting his hands together. "I don't take it to spark."

"You don't have to! Stand up for yourself."

The look he gave Elita was so conflicted, so genuinely torn that her spark went out to him.

"Oi! You two! Didn't you hear the announcement? Get to auditorium! Now!"

They both jumped, and realized now they were the only ones left in the once jammed pack halls. Warpath was making his way towards them, a mech even _bigger_ then Bulkhead, and they both nodded quickly and ran off.

Level Alpha was the very lowest part of the Academy, embedded in the basement levels of the huge fortress which educated thousands of Transformers. There were many auditoriums, used for different purposes, but Auditorium Alpha was _huge_. It easily the biggest part of the Academy, could easily hold a wrestling match with a couple of Guardian Robots and their buddies on the outlines, cheering them on. The very front was a large holographic screen that would patch in directly from channels like The Senate, the headmaster of the Academy, or even the Prime himself. It was very rare for something like this to be called, and only ever happened if something very important happened.

Elita One and Bulkhead were herded in with the rest of the stranglers, with all the Professors lining against the base wall of the auditorium. They looked just as clueless as the students, as they talk amongst themselves or their worried students.

Elita was instantly searching through the great sea of Transformers for Chromia and Firestar. But it was useless, the place was simply so massive. There was an upper level as well, like a balcony section for the students who studied on the upper levels of the school.

The auditorium was simply alive. Voices were chattering, laughing, screaming, keening, static was practically sizzling the molecules of the air as comms were being transmitted by the truckload. Elita was instantly uncomfortable by it all, and moved to take her seat. She turned back to Bulkhead, who again, smiled sheepishly.

"Too big for the chairs."

"You know there's a section for bigger Cybertronians? Right over there?"

Bulkhead looked over at the appointed section, were tanks, shuttles, busses or any other large bots sat at. He looked down at Elita and shrugged.

"Meh, too far."

Elita sighed inwardly, but went to stand beside Bulkhead, wanting to be nice. Bulkhead smiled warmly.

"**Professors and students of Iacon Academy: Attention!" **A booming voice announced through the speakers. Soon every voice that filled the auditorium died down to silence (astonishingly quickly, Elita noticed). At the very front of the room, a tiny figure walked out from the side doors that led in from the outside. The headmaster was followed out by tall, sleek, elegant femme with blue and pink highlights, clearly from the Towers based on her design. She handed him a datapad, which he accepted quickly.

Elita stretched on her tippy toes to try and have a better look. It wasn't everyday one had the chance to actually see the Headmaster. It was rumoured that his office was at the very top of the school, in the tallest tower and rarely left said office.

"Can't see?" Bulkhead whispered.

"Not really..."

"Let me help."

Elita One squawked as she felt two large hands clasped around her shoulders (not to tightly, just firm enough to have a good grip) and lifted her over and up. She sat him down on his shoulder, which was pleasantly a lot better than being down on the ground.

"Umm...thanks."

"No problem."

Now with a good vantage point, she zoomed in with her optics at the little tiny form that was the Headmaster of the Academy. He was a normal sized mech, not too big and not too small. He was a royal purple, with gold and silver high lights that associated with wealth and power. He had long narrow wing like panels sprouting from his back, and long elegant legs that suggested a smaller alt mode, but extremely fast none the less.

He had red optics, a seeker like helm and a voice that was strangely...soft?

"**It is such a pleasure to see all my dedicated faculty members and bright students all in the same room where I can really appreciate all the vorns of hard work into making this school what it is today. But I'm afraid under these circumstances I cannot feel joy."**

"**As some of you may already know, Cybertron isn't what it used to be in The Golden Ages. Energon mines have all been slowly running dry, and the threat of war hangs in the air like a spell..."**

A moment of fierce whispers descends upon the silence, and the Headmaster politely waits for it all to settle. Elita reaches down onto Bulkhead's shoulder, placing a hand on the warm metal. It's more out of comfort then anything.

"**We just received a message from The Senate, they will be broadcasting a mandatory message for ALL citizens of Iacon, and those of us in the Academy. It will be shown in exactly 2.3 breems. I fear...it will not be good news."**

He turns his attention to the datapad, and punches in a few commands. The hologram projectors whirl to life, and the insignia of The Senate abruptly appears. He taps a few more commands, and smaller holograms pop up beside the largest one, on either side. He exists the datapad and gives it back to the femme and nods. The femme nods back and walks away, gait just as elegant as her appearance, she seems to glide off the stage to take her seat at the front.

The Headmaster followers her lead, and there is a lull in the silence.

Elita now is truly uncomfortable, and the only thing that is keeping her grounded is Bulkhead's strong and silent energy. He has a laid back quality that she didn't notice before, sort of reminiscent to Firestar's, and she leans into it, allowing it to calm her erratic spark.

The 2.3 breems lasted an eternity of torture. There are whispers that were uttered, but they only make her more anxious.

Then, at long last, the symbol of The Senate glows brightly, before blinking out. Senator Decimus's face and upper torso is replaced, and Elita glares. Senetor Decimus is infamous for his impersonal business style, (laying off hundreds of minors from work for mechanical drones, ahem) and lives high and mighty in his pent house suit while normal folk try their hardest to make a living. A rich jerk if Elita One ever saw one.

His face was smooth, void of any emotion, lips pressed tightly across his face. His optics are focused and steady, and finally he opens his mouth.

"**Citizens of Iacon, mechs and femmes of this fine city. Students and staff members of the Academy of Science and Technology. A great threat to our nation is now more tangible than ever, and I'm afraid that Cybertron will be plunged in an age of war and violence. Approximately several orns ago an uprising in Kaon had spawned an extremist group whose goal is total domination of Cybertron's laws and resources. We cannot let this happen. The Decepticons, as they are being called, must be met with force and brutality. The Autobot forces are already working to eradicate this threat from the source."**

Someone high above sitting up in the balcony section swore.

"**We advice the citizens of Iacon to strengthen the security of their lives, and take into account some of you may be called upon to fight. It grieves The Senate to put so much responsibility onto our citizens, but desperate times calls for desperate measures. Energon will now be rationed and recorded extensively. We need to help our armies more than ever and stand together united against The Decepticons. "**

"**We are terribly sorry for any inconvenience we may cost. Please take note if The Senate needs to alter any changes in the Iacon legislative we will do so. May Iacon stand sturdy as the strong hold it is for eternity." **

With that, the Senator's face blinked away and was replaced back with The Senate symbol.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** What is Sideswipe and Sunstreaker doing at the Academy of Science and Technology? I don't know...neither do they. Either do Chromia, Elita, Firestar and Moonracer, and half the characters I'm putting in. I started writing it like it was a high school version, and then realized there's an actual Academy in Iacon. I'm too lazy to fix it all lol.

Please review! Reviews are love, and they make me write faster lol


	2. I Found You

**A/N:** Introducing Firestar's creators. Also introducing a potential love interest for a certain teal femme.*wink wink* This chapter was written to songs called **I Found You **and** Sun of a Gun **by **Oh Land.**

**Also I have fanfart! Check out Not My Day by Lecidre over at deviantart dot com! I love it! I'm a happy fan girl. **

**Thank you all who reviewed! And those of you who favorited, thank you! But please, if you take the time to favorite, please let me know of what you think of the story! I'm really curious as to what ya'll are thinking!  
><strong>

Please review and enjoy!

* * *

><p>Silence.<p>

It was thick and suffocating.

The words of the Senator sent a chill through her spark. It was a raw, it blended fear and anxiety and dread in a wicket cocktail and infested her body, making her freeze up.

``_What do you mean, rationed_ energon?" a voice cried out.

A few in the crowd voiced their agreement, and Moonracer's cooling fans kicked on involuntarily. She tried to clamp down on her emotions, tried to calm down and stay collected. She couldn't allow herself to lose her composure.

"_They can't do that! They can't change the legislative without consulting the people of Iacon!"_ Another voice shouted.

Moonracer retreated a step, her back hitting something hard and warm. She rounded, her optics frightened and apologetic. A mech stood over her, sporting a simple black helm topped with a blocky yellow appendage. He had a broad red midsection and shoulders, with what looked like a telescope perched on his right shoulder. His thighs and forearms were teal with his pelvic competent a glossy black. Moonracer uttered a hasty apology, her discomfort clearly evident in her tone and body language. The mech frowned, and placed a hand on her shoulder. His calm and reassurance was like a lighthouse in a sea of gloom. She leaned into the touch, seeking comfort.

More voices rose up, gaining volume and depth. By now everyone was on their pedes. Everybody was yelling and shouting all at once, like an uproar that rippled through the crowd.

Moonracer shuddered, an intense need to escape and flee shooting through her circuits. But Moonracer couldn't move her feet, they weight her down like lead cylinders. The mech's hand on her shoulder squeezed gently.

"Shhh, do not worry. I'm certain the Headmaster will get this crowd under control."

Moonracer peered up at the mech, (handsome mech) she corrected gleefully and nodded. The mech nodded back, and lifted his hand from her shoulder. She sagged disappointedly, pouting.

The Headmaster in question was curtly giving orders over the loud speakers, but it was useless. The din of the auditorium was far too loud. Bodies began to push and shove, and the loudness of it all was getting far too overwhelming. The Professors were trying to round up their students and leave, but everyone was far too bristled and wound up to comply.

"_This is all the Decepticons fault_!"

"_The Autobots need to stop them!"_

"_Are you kidding? Society is slagged! The Decepticons are fighting for equality for ALL Cybertranians!_"

"_How can you possibly support the Decepticons? They'll turn Cybertron corrupt!"_

"_Cybertron is already corrupt! Open your optics past your aft and take a look? Have you seen the conditions in Polyhex? Kaon?"_

Two large mechs were face plate to face plate, neither backing down from the argument. Moonracer watched in horror as the tank shoved the other away. The other, a shuttle by his looks, stumbled. His head snapped up, and with speed that downright startled Moonracer he leapt forward, and decked the tank.

"Oh...dear." The mech whispered.

Pandemonium swooped in.

Moonracer clasped hands over her audios, whilst desperately dialling them to mute. But even with her audios offline could she still hear the complete overwhelming mayhem. The noise off it all vibrated the atmosphere and shook her plating rattling. Everyone was now watching the fight unfold into a ruthless brawl, and the students from the top balcony started egging them on, chanting 'FIGHT-FIGHT-FIGHT!' Eventually the fight roped more participants in, and now the auditorium transformed into an arena.

Voices were echoing in a thunderous chorus, and a couple bots beside Moonracer began to push and shove. There was a clatter and a deafening crash as one of the larger students was knocked over by a forest green tank. The red mech placed a hand on her lower back.

"I believe it would be in the best interest of both our wellbeing if we get out of this hazard zone. Shall we?"

"**CEASE IMMEDIATELY! STAND DOWN!" **The security bots were at the sight of the grappling mechs. Moonracer was led away quickly by her new acquaintance, over to the back where the smart students were exiting in haste.

Security had efficiently pounced and snuffed out the fight within breems, and now herding the students out of the auditorium.

Moonracer and the red mech were finally free of the chaos. But students were _everywhere_. The hallways were packed, and Moonracer felt claustrophobic. She backed up into the mech, and her shoulders were quivering in fight.

His hand was now on her shoulder again. Again, the calm he emitted was infectious and soothed her shot nerves a degree.

He led them through the traffic, rounded a few corners and down a couple corridors and keyed open a door. Moonracer was so overjoyed by the silence and tranquility, such a change from the disorder and turmoil she witness breems ago. Once inside she collapsed into one of the many chairs, and folded her head into her arms.

"I'm terribly sorry. I seemed to digress from the simplest of formalities."

Moonracer lifted her head, and cocked her head to the side. _Huh?_

The mech chuckled, took a seat beside her. He held out his hand in greeting.

"I'm Perceptor."

Moonracer shook his hand.

"Moonracer."

Perceptor's optics brightened in delight, and he smiled lightly.

"Pleased to meet you, Moonracer. That was quite the experience, wasn't it?"

"That?" She jerked her thumb over her shoulder, in the direction of the door. "That was _The Pit._"

The mech nodded, a grim expression taking over his handsome features. Silence fell upon them then, and Moonracer took a klick to observe her surroundings. Large pristine white tables were lined up in rows, two rows on either side of the class with a gap in between for an isle for walking to and fro. The tables donned a spectrum of complicated looking equipment, and she guessed she was in one of the science rooms.

Perceptor gazed at the new femme, his optics travelling (discreetly) from the tips of her pedes to the top of her helm. Her colouring was quite stylish, and he noted the attractiveness of her long lean legs and narrow ankles. She turned back to him asked where they were currently located.

Perceptor froze up, shoulders hiking up and his optics flickering away to avoid her gaze.

"Um, I'd thought it'll be acceptable to escape the mayhem. Right now we're in the chemistry lab."

"Oh."

Moonracer once again looked around them room before her optics landed on Perceptor again.

"You're a science major?"

Perceptor perked up, a smile creeping across his face.

"Rightfully so! I cannot simply get enough of it!"

"Heh, you certainly look like you'd be a science major."

His smile twitched, hanging close to a frown.

Moonracer sat up, gesturing to her right shoulder, while jerking her chin to his telescope.

"It'll be kind of obvious that someone with a telescope alt mode would be into science."

Relieved, Perceptor laughed. Moonracer joined in, and the mech dialled his audios up a scale to better hear her laughter. A magical soprano, ringing sharp in his audios, he described it as beautiful.

But Moonracer sobered and quieted, and Perceptor watched her shift on her seat. She must have gotten a comlink from someone. After another klick she moved again, and looked over at Perceptor.

"Sorry, that was a friend. She wanted to know if I was okay."

"Oh? What did you say?"

Moonracer grinned. "Said I was safe and sound."

* * *

><p>Three femmes transformed rapidly, and Firestar stretched her arms to relieve the tension from her shoulder struts. Chromia and Elita One did the same, and Firestar looked grimly over her friends. To say today was a good day would be a flat out lie. Chromia was practically fuming by the time she got out of the Academy. Elita One was just as incensed, but silently pensive.<p>

Firestar herself wasn't feeling too great either. They walked the rest of the way to her residence in silence.

Firestar keyed in the access code to her home, and the door automatically slid aside in welcome. She visibly relaxed then, and beckoned her friends in behind her.

Her home wasn't anything special, it had a living area, energon dispenser over in the corner, wash racks over down the hall and two personal quarters for herself and her creators and a study.

Chromia and Elita One were already on their way to her room, so Firestar went to the dispenser to gather some energon for herself and her friends. As she worked, her mind fell back to think about the events that she witnessed today. The Senate was really taking this serious, with rationing energon they were taking a big step over the boundary of what would be considered acceptable. She understood that the Autobots needed all the aid they could collect, but really...rationing energon?

Balancing three cubes of energon, she turned, heading for her room. She left the living area, and as she passed the study, she heard muffled voices. She halted, silent and still.

She couldn't make out any words being said, but she could hear the rage and anger as clear as crystal. Her spark twisted, hesitating, caught between wanting to go in and not. She opted for the latter, out of courtesy of her creator's privacy and headed to her room.

"Heard them arguing?" Chromia grumbled when the door slid open.

Firestar shot her a weary glance, and handed a cube to Elita. Elita nodded in thanks, staring off at a spot at the side of the room. Chromia was stretched out on her recharge berth, with Elita sitting on the floor, back to the metal. Firestar took a seat beside her and handed Chromia the other cube.

"Most likely it's about what The Senate broadcasted today."

Chromia snarled, and Elita One tensed.

Firestar looked into her energon, working her processor to actually accept the swing of things now. War on Cybertron?

War?

What would this mean for their lives now?

Neither of the girls touched their energon. Through the walls, they could near a door hissing open and more shouting. Before long someone was stomping down the hallway, entering the other room and a seal of an automatic door.

Silence hung in the air, and the femmes looked up warily at each other.

Firestar sighed and stood. Elita One held up her hand without being asked, and Firestar gave her energon to her, thanking her.

"I'll be right back."

She exited her room and walked towards the living room. She stood in the threshold of the door, and saw one of her creators, broad red back facing her from the other side of the room.

"Inferno?"

Startled, he whirled around. He saw Firestar at the door, face concerned and optics anxious.

"Sweet spark! You're home already?"

Firestar nodded, smiling somewhat. "I guess you and Red were too busy fighting to hear us?"

She tried her best to sound indifferent like she wasn't effected by their fights, but Inferno heard the apprehension lacing her tone. His features softened and he came over.

"Aw, sweetie. We just had...a small disagreement."

He pulled her into an embrace, resting his chin on the top of her head. Her spark shimmered and fluttered in its casing, often when it does in the close proximity of one of her creators, but found it hard to relax. They were silent, just listening to their engines rumble quietly in their chassis.

"Was it about what the Senate said?"

He sighed through his vents and nodded.

"Yeah... part of it. We had a disagreement."

Firestar grimaced. She pushed away from his broad chest. "What was it about?"

Inferno shook his head, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Now, honey. That's between me and Red. I'm sure we'll tell you once we agree on it."

That didn't sound really reassuring to Firestar. She hesitated, avoiding his optics. "Is he OK?"

"You know Red. He's all revved up. He just needs time to cool off."

Firestar understood. Her creators had tiffs here and there, nothing too serious that their bond didn't smooth out. This was just one of those instances she has witnessed herself many times before, but today Firestar knew better. This was _different_. The news she heard today could very much rock the foundations of her family unit.

She was scared.

She reached out and took Inferno's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm going to go see him, OK?"

"Are you sure, Firestar? The best thing for him is to be alone right now..."

"Let me try?"

Infernos optics brightened, the corners of his lips tugged down, but nodded. He squeezed her hand back and Firestar kissed him lightly on the cheek.

She departed, heading for Inferno and Red's room. She knocked and waited.

And waited...

She waited for a few more klicks, before knocking again with more force then necessary.

"It's Firestar!"

When the doors didn't immediately slide aside for her, she frowned in disbelief. Would he really ignore her? But after another moment the door slide aside slowly, as if it _too_ was reluctant for her to enter. Firestar shook her head and stepped in the door way, peering in. Red Alert was sitting on the berth, glaring at a datapad. He didn't directly acknowledge her, just simply transferred his glare from his datapad to Firestar, then back to the datapad.

"Are you OK?"

Red didn't reply. Firestar entered, and the door sealed behind her. She fidgeted with her hands, shifted pede to pede. Red Alert just kept on glaring at the data pad.

She took a seat beside him on the berth, and stole a glance at her creator. Red Alert was always the stern one, always drilled in the importance of acting politely to hounding her down when he knew she didn't complete her course work. She knew his spark was always in the right place, he simply wanted the best for Firestar.

"The Academy displayed The Senate's broadcast today," she said. Her spark twisted at the memory. She remembered the dread that swept over her, the ominous snare that gripped her spark when she realization that Cybertron was starting to change for the worst.

"Chromia and I had just gotten out of class when an alarm sounded and ordered everyone to Auditorium Alpha."

Red's head perked up, and he silently regarded Firestar. "At first I was confused, just like everyone else."

"But as we were all wrangled to Alpha level...I knew."

Firestar pulled up her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms them. Her optics looked off into the distance, at the desk that was pushed up against the wall opposite to the berth. A small image capture caught her gaze, a family picture. Red Alert held sparking Firestar in his arms with Inferno in turn had Red in his arms. They both looked so proud of their sparkling.

"I knew life isn't going to be the same anymore."

She opened her mouth again, but all that was emitted was a burst of static. Red Alert's optics brightened in alarm and he set down the datapad on the berth side table.

Firestar hung her head, unable to meet his optics.

"I'm scared," she whispered, fighting the static. "I'm _really_ scared."

Red Alert instantly enveloped her in his arms, a comforting hand laid on top of her helm. She submerged into his arms, hiding her face into his chest. Her shoulders shook as her vocalize keened and all at once she felt like she was a sparkling again.

Firestar would once sneak into her creators recharge berth most nights, scared for whatever reason her imagination made up, and would snuggle in between Inferno and Red Alert. They would make room her, snuggling right back.

Red Alert whispered sweet nothings as he traced her helm gently, back and forth. They shared the silence, welcomed it actually, and chose not to ruin it. It was like Firestar reverted back to being a sparkling, seeking the comfort that she couldn't find anywhere else but from her creator. Red Alert's purring engine was a soothing backdrop, so familiar to her she could fall into recharge by just listening to it.

Red Alert's embrace was firm and soothing and his voice was comforting and very helpful. Within a couple breems her sobbing subsided to soundless whimpering. His hand was stroking her back up and down, and his forehead rested against hers.

"I'm sorry, Firestar." He whispered, rocking her back and forth.

"It's going to be difficult, you have to understand." Red Alert talked in a hushed soothing tone, the one he always used when Firestar was upset. "Cybertron is going through tough times...we...we have to accept that."

"The most important thing now, Firestar, is to act smartly." Red Alert pushed her up gently, looking sternly into her optics. "And to act smartly is to act safely. Cybertron isn't the same place you were sparked in. Danger can lurk _anywhere_."

Firestar nodded, rubbing her optics.

"It's alright to feel afraid. Things happen outside of our control..."

Red Alert pulled her in again for a hug.

"But you don't have to face this alone. Inferno and I would rather deactivate if anything happened to you, love."

Firestar nodded faintly, biting her lip.

Again, silence filled the room. They heard Chromia and Elita One's muffled voices through the walls, talking quietly.

"Times are going to be tough from now on." Red Alert finally broke the silence. "But you have Inferno and I. We won't let anything happen to you, Firestar. I promise. Cybertron is running through a bit of a rough patch right now. I'm sure it'll subside."

Firestar considered this, and her optics narrowed. She tensed in Red Alert's embrace.

"W-What if it doesn't?"

Red Alert's embrace tightened around her protectively.

"Then we'll stay strong, as one. You, Inferno and I"

Red Alert's words were honest and strong, ringing with promise, and her spark rippled with joy. She nestled deeper into his embrace, drinking up as much reassurance as she could.

Chromia had an arm bent under her head, optics staring straight up at the ceiling.

Elita One was in a funk. She could feel it. Her best friend senses were great like that.

She stole another glance at the pink femme. Her energon lay forgotten beside her, and her optics had that distant sheen she often showed when her mind was light years away. Well, if she wasn't going to drink her energon, she might as well do it.

"You gonna drink that?"

Elita turned her head, regarding her with an optic. Chromia shrugged.

"I mean...If you're not going to drink it, I might as well."

Elita One only grunted and returned to looking at whatever she was before.

"Is that a yes?"

"Where's Firestar?"

Chromia sat up. "How should I know? Talking to Inferno?"

Elita didn't reply, most likely turning Chromia's suggestion over in her head for herself. Elita One unfolded and stood, and met Chromia's questionable optics.

"I'm going to get her. I'll be back."

She strode over to the door and it opened for her automatically.

"I'm having your energon!" Chromia shouted as the door shut silently behind her.

Elita One ventured over to the living area, expecting to find Firestar but only discovered Inferno sitting alone, watching something on the holoscreen. He donned a deep frown, clearly disturbed by whatever he was watching. Elita One approached, and nodded in greeting as Inferno caught sight of her.

"What are you watching?" she asked.

"Take a look for yourself," he replied, gesturing.

The video on the screen was very shaky and unfocused, but from the audio alone she had a good idea of what was happening. In the background there was the constant machine gun chatter of automatic weapons and occasionally bursts of laser fire would slice in. Horror ebbed inside Elita's spark when she heard the _screaming._

She collapsed on the couch, unable to stand her weight any longer. Her optics fixated on the screen, unable to look away. She was powerless to divert her gaze from the screen, as blurry and unfocused as it was, but it was simple that carnage was being created at that moment.

She registered someone talking, but it sizzled away into static. The only thing that happened to be in that room was Elita One and the footage being broadcasted.

The image shifted drastically, jumping from a burning building, intense fighting between mechs bearing heavy armour, civilians running and fleeing for their lives, images of grey shells littering the streets, to finally...

It was a shady image capture of a figure. His build was indistinguishable, as were his colours. But she could tell he was large, something about him sent tendrils of recollection through her spark...and his optics...

She met those optics before.

_Waiting...waiting for someone, impatient... irritated _

_The sound of water...up river, large energon storage vessel anchored beside facility._

_Waiting..._

_Someone approached, extending a greeting._

_Caught off guard, whirled around, simply floored by the sight of the new comer._

_Red optics, not blue like her own, foreign, new, frightening and trilling. It bore into her azure gaze, burning and swirling with mystery and danger. Handsome, very handsome._

_Words were traded, exchange of designations, caught off guard, frightened and yet giddy, he reaches out..._

_Takes her hand and lifts it up to his lips, kisses her knuckles delicately, lips as smooth as velvet ...smirks down at her._

"_It's a pleasure to meet such a lovely creature like yourself, Ariel."_

_Ariel?_

_Red optics, burning, piercing her own..._

_Red..._

Elita One gasped audibly, vans kicking on and her optics online suddenly. Elita One is greeted with the sight of Inferno's face hanging over her, concern clearly written all over his faceplate. He's exchanging words back and forth with someone out of her field of vision, but her audios cannot pick up any sort of sound. All Elita hears is static, thick and smothering, but she refuses to reset them to their normal decibel.

Ariel.

Her name was Ariel.

Those optics, who did they belong to? She met those optics before...

Firestar and Chromia are beside her now, helping her sit up and trying to get her to respond. Chromia has her arm around her, and Red Alert is now on her other side. He reached up to touch her helm, fiddles with something on the side and...

Clear.

Everything is now clear.

Voices all burst into volume, all chattering and asking questions of worry and Elita One reeled back in both fright and pain. Red Alert is now fussing over her, looking for anything out of the ordinary that might cause more damage. Finding none, he motions for Firestar to come over.

"Shhh! Hush your vocalizers, you'll damage her audios!" Red ordered, and stood. Firestar instantly took his place and hugged her deeply, her body trembling.

"Elita! Are you alright?"

Elita One's systems rebooted, her HUD displaying that all of her system functions were all in optimal condition, although her energon levels needed refuelling.

Elita placed a hand on Firestar's shoulder, leaning into the embrace.

"Yeah, I think so...what happened?"

From over Firestar's shoulder, she saw Inferno and Red Alert drift together. Inferno placed a hand on Red's shoulder, leaning the smaller mech into his chassis.

"You were watching the news broadcast and then you kind of...collapsed. I didn't know until I turned around to see you on the floor! Gave us quite a little scare there, Elita."

"I'm sorry, Inferno...That never happened to me before..."

"How are you energy levels? Do you need to refuel? " Red Alert turned to the energon dispenser. He abruptly stopped in his tracks, and whirled around to look at Elita with startled optics. "Or should I call a medic? This shouldn't be overlooked! Simply offlineing isn't something to be overlooked, I'll com Ratchet and-"

"No! It's OK, Red. Really...I guess...I'm just stressed."

Firestar pulled away from Elita, her lips pulled tight across her face. Chromia's face smoothed into one of understanding, but really, she couldn't tell them of her discovery...not just yet.

Elita One shook her head. "Really, I feel fine."

Red Alert crossed his arms and pinned her with a stern look. "Are you sure? I can get a medic here in just under a joor. The best, in fact."

Elita One shook her head and stood. "Really, Red Alert. I'm perfectly fine, see?" She backed her statement up by extending her arms and twirling, her gyros all in complete functioning order.

Inferno shook his head in amusement, and now that the not-so-crisis was dealt with, did he bid the femmes farewell and retired to his quarters. Red Alert lingered, examining Elita to double check himself if she was in danger of anything, before deeming her functional and followed Inferno's leave.

The femmes for a while didn't speak. Elita One took her seat again, as did Chromia, and Firestar handed her another cube. Chromia switched the channel by then.

_Ariel..._

Was that really her name? When she thought about the name nothing special happened. No flash back, no far off distant voice that her memory would somehow unlock and share that would tie it to the mysterious name.

But what did was that image of that mech. From the image she couldn't really see anything in great detail, except the optics. Perhaps if she could see more of this mech, in all his detailed glory, she could recover more of her unlockable past.

She needed to find out who that mech was. She _needed_ to see that mech with her own optics. The Senate was doing their best job with trying to keep any information painfully restricted to the general public. Elita One knew the group of fighters were from Kaon, and only knew of the name that they deemed themselves. Decepticons.

She needed to find a way inside, needed to at least find a way for her to meet that mech. So much could be uncovered if she had a chance to came face to face with that mysterious mech that fogged up her faulty background.

_Ariel..._

She couldn't do this on her own. She needed help.

"I need to tell you guys something."

* * *

><p>Perceptor asked if it was alright if he walked her home.<p>

Well, it was more like he awkwardly suggested it, in such a way which he tripped over his words several times. Once Moonracer knew what he was hinting at she was more than delighted, and agreed readily.

Moonracer lived in the residential sectors at the Academy, for the students who had the privilege to live on campus.

As they walked together, Moonracer kept on stealing glances at her new friend. Every time her optics glanced over at him, he'd catch her watching, and their optics would widen and jump instantly away.

Moonracer turned her head, hiding her grin.

They chatted awkwardly, talking about classes, professors, family back home. Perceptor was genuinely fascinated by Moonracer, it was sort of endearing in a cute sort of way. He asked her millennia of questions, from what her designation meant to her, who her creators were, the speed of her alt mode, to her plans for the future. Moonracer didn't have time to resort to asking _him_ questions, she couldn't even get a intake in.

Finally having enough she stalled to a halt, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Perceptor's vocalizer finally trailed off, staring at her hand on his plating in awe.

"Cool it Perceptor! We're here!"

Perceptor's plating started to heat up in a blush and he shook his head.

"Oh, yes, sorry! I suppose we arrived to your dwelling." He looked up at the building in front of them.

Her hand moved down his plating, trailing a digit over shiny red plating, and took his hand in hers. She grinned up at him.

"I want to thank you for today, Perceptor. No one ever made me feel this welcome, also for making me not panic back there in the auditorium."

Perceptor's optics were so bright they were practically novas. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Uh, yes...think nothing of it Moonracer. It was my pleasure actually."

Moonracer released his hand and walked up the steps to the door. She turned back around to give a final farewell.

"I hope to see you around, Perceptor."

The mech's face was priceless. Frazzled, giddy, amazed and flustered all rolled into one.

"I-ah...Yes...I'll be seeing you around...at the Academy..."

Moonracer grinned and keyed in the entrance code. She waved a final time and departed, leaving behind a totally love struck Perceptor.

After a breem the mech finally snapped out of his rose hued trance and shook his head.

"Wow," he whispered.

* * *

><p><em>I hope you enjoy chapter 2! I know it might be rather weird for Inferno and Red Alert be Firestar's creators, but I love the pairing so much I had to put it in. Also I need them for what I have set up later in the story! <em>

_Anyhow, please review! It is really encouraging when I know people tell me they are enjoying the story, and its a boost of inspriation. Also it makes me write faster haha!  
><em>


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